Doctors could go on strike for the first time ever in the Isle of Man over a pay dispute.

Discussions have been ongoing between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Manx Care and the British Medical Association (BMA) for some time but they have failed to break the deadlock.

Doctors are asking for a 12.6% pay increase but the government are only offering 6% for 2023-24 and 4% for 2024-25, in line with the offers made to nurses and other healthcare professionals.

But the BMA announced today (Monday) doctors in the Isle of Man have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action with 121 of 127 (95%) doctors voting ‘yes’.

This is the first time doctors in the island have been balloted in this way and the first time they will take industrial action.

The BMA says Isle of Man doctors have experienced real terms pay cuts since 2008 – some as much as 19 per cent.

In October, the BMA warned Manx Care of the deep frustration felt by doctors following the results of an annual survey of doctors on the Island - the ‘Culture of Care Barometer’ survey. This survey revealed a lack of confidence in management, poor culture and overall low morale.

Despite a series of meetings between BMA representatives and Manx Care, a deal has not yet been put on the table acceptable to doctors.

Despite the vote, the BMA says talks are ongoing and it remains committed to working towards a negotiated solution.

Chair of the Isle of Man Medical Society Dr Prakash Thiagarajan said: ‘We’ve now got a clear mandate from our members that Manx Care cannot ignore.

‘I hope we can still avoid strike action and that Manx Care will now come to us in good faith to find a solution that values the work we do.

‘Doctors want to give patients the best possible care and that’s achieved by improving the working lives of doctors and the first step towards such improvement is reduction of the years of pay erosion we have suffered.’

Prof Phil Banfield, chair of council at the BMA, says a fair deal must be reached to avoid industrial action.

He said: ‘Doctors in the Isle of Man are overworked, underpaid and overlooked. These doctors deserve to be treated with fairness and respect.

‘Their resident, consultant and SAS colleagues across the UK have fought for, and won, pay uplifts as their first step on a journey to restoring the lost value of their pay. Doctors on the Isle of Man deserve the same.

‘The BMA has organised and supported this ballot at the request of its members, and we will continue to support Manx doctors in fighting for appropriate recognition of their skills and expertise they bring to the Island’s patients.’

In response, the DHSC and Manx Care say it is important they stay in budget with resources already stretched.

In a statement to Manx Radio, they say: ‘We recognise the invaluable contribution of our doctors, and believe they deserve a fair pay rise. However, we must manage our finances and stay within our budget.

‘For the next year Government has been clear that there will be no additional funding beyond what has already been allocated. Spending more than what has been allocated for pay rises would mean reallocating funding from other services, potentially leading to cuts or service reductions.

‘Manx Care has negotiated within their budget and offered several solutions.

‘We are pleased that Manx Care and the BMA continue to move forward with their negotiations, and are committed to further discussions early in the New Year.

‘We respect the right of our workforce to take action, and the DHSC will work closely with Manx Care to support them to reduce harm and the impact to the public should the strikes go ahead.’